"I went to Jerusalem to become acquainted (Gk. istoria) with Cephas" - Paul's words from Galatians 1:18.

A Team Must Win to Be In

I arrived home at 12:30 a.m. this morning from Norman, Oklahoma after experiencing the loudest crowd at Owen Field in the history of Oklahoma football. The 2000 Oklahoma vs. Nebraska game in Norman, which vaulted OU into the number one national ranking, was also played in front of a riled up crowd; but last night's raucous game is unsurpassed in OU history in term's of electricity. When I arrived home I watched the game on Tivo, much of it fastworded between plays, in order to see if middle linebacker Austin Box, a longtime family friend and fellow Enidite, actually played as well as it looked like he did from my viewpoint in the stands. He did, and the story of OU's improvement on defense since the red-shirted freshman Box was inserted at middle linebacker is the biggest story coming out of the game.

The Harris Poll and the Coaches Poll have been released and OU is number 2, behind Alabama - the place they should be in my opinion. The BCS poll will come out later this afternoon, and I am writing this before we know whether or not OU passed Texas in BCS standings. If the Big 12 South ends in a three way tie between three one loss teams (Texas, Tech and OU), then the highest ranked BCS team will be declared the winner of the Big 12 South and will play in the Big 12 Championship game against Missouri in two weeks. I predict that OU will pass Texas in BCS standings, if not today at least by next Sunday if can they beat OSU next Saturday night.

However, for all those Texas fans who will gripe about OU passing Texas, even though Texas beat OU in week four of the season, chew on the following:

IF OSU beats OU next week, it will be TECH, not Texas that goes to the Big 12 Championship game. There is not one soul in the BCS system, the Big 12 Conference, or anybody else who would want TECH in the Big 12 Championship game with Texas sitting on the sidelines. Therefore, everyone involved in the BCS system will be pulling for OU to beat OSU in order to make the Big 12 and BCS Championship games what they could be, and should be, to make the season exciting at the end. If OU wins, then the question is - who goes to the Big 12 Championship game of the three one loss teams?

Now all we need to do is destroy OSU and the matchup will be set. Your Sooners against Bob Cleveland's Tide. I don't hold out much hope for OU - even though I am a huge fan (grew up in Bartlesville- went to OSU Okmulgee). They can't seem to hang with the big dogs when it counts. Maybe this year will be different...

BTW: My daughter is considering Tech as she wants to be an architect. I told her her possible future alma matre was getting their behinds handed to them... she just rolled her eyes - doesn't care much about football...

I must repent for my sin of jealously as I find it a little unfair you get to attend all these cool games and I was home raking leaves on Saturday defending the Faith against Jehovah Witnesses :) Not only did they dress nice but they rolled up in a Cadillac Escalade. Before they even reached my front yard I said: "Is Jesus God?" I figured, why beat around the bush, let's get to the heart of the matter.

As an Alabama fan, I'm hoping for a UA/OU national championship game. We thoroughly enjoyed the games we played against the Sooners earlier this decade and would have enjoyed them more had we won. :-)

Nonetheless, the fans of both teams seemed to get along well and have a good time before, during, and after the games. Numerous OU fans wrote to our local paper about the courteous welcome and treatment they received in Tuscaloosa. Our fans said the same about their visit to Norman. Perhaps the nation will see 2 classy teams on the field in Miami supported by classy fans in the stadium.

By now you know OU did not pass Texas in the BCS poll. Even if the Sooners beat OSU and Texas wallops the Aggies, OU will likely not pass Texas in the BCS. Texas will play Mizzou, whom they beat handily in Austin, but the Horns will lose the championship game when they play again. The two hardest things to do in big time football is to beat the same team twice in one year and to beat OU in Norman.

A report I read said Texas was in front of OU "for now". The writer who wrote the article for the Dallas Morning News seemed to think that if OU destroyed OSU, the would move ahead of Texas no matter what they did to the Aggies.

Sadly, either way though, I think both would lose in a game with the Tide.

Everybody playing for second in NCAA FBS behind UF. Nobody, Sooners included, want any part of Tebow and the Gators. Their team speed would make top 3 in Big 12 look like their running in mud. Wrong again Wade!

Assuming the polls and computers are EXACTLY right today, the strength of the remaining schedule strongly favors OU:

1. They're playing a top 15 team according to all polls (12, 12) and computers (11 combined). A&M is, well, not competitive this year.

2. They're playing on the road. Texas is playing at home. Road victories should mean more in any strength of schedule comparison.

An OU win should generate a Big 12 championship bid since they should make up the miniscule margin. But the argument that Texas won the head-to-head (on neutral turf no less) and also beat Missouri is compelling if the voters did anything other than compare last week to this week when voting.

Now here's where it gets interesting:

A Bama loss to Auburn coupled with a Florida loss in the SEC championship kicks them BOTH out. If OU wins the Big 12 championship game, then Texas should be right at their heels with a #2 ranking. Voila: Big 12 MNC.

The voters probably would fix it some way since at that point their cookies are feeling a little unsettled. The team that wins the Big 12 Championship arguably deserves the higher ranking from a BCS standpoint. But it's a LONG way to USC from Oklahoma's current ranking since SC has relatively low computer rankings (8th).

If the voters were to start looking for the BEST game, then since OU and t.u. (yes, I'm an Aggie) have already played, then the sentimental play is to put the Utes in by voting them #2 and Texas #3.

Of course, you can flip OU and Texas based on next-to-last BCS ranking and Texas goes to the Big 12 Championship. But if each accumulate a loss over the next couple of weeks, then Katy bar the door coz it's gonna get wild!

For extra credit: what happens if all four teams--OU, Texas, 'Bama, Florida--lose one each? Trojans and the Utes for an mnc?? And if SC loses?

In reality: Tech and Penn State (the Lions have finished their season) are pretty big obstacles for the Boise State Broncos to overcome, but there would be a CHANCE at two undefeateds playing for a full upset of the BCS apple cart! You know how Americans love underdogs!!

1)If God did not love the Longhorns He would not have made the sun orange. Deal with it.

2) The University of Texas at Norman (aka OU) usually does have a good team.

3) If you are Division 1 you are Division 1. Either Utah, Boise and Ball State should be 2,3,4 or they should not be Division 1. If you don't like their schedule make them play someone tough (like the Aggies, snicker, snicker).

4) Alabama may be undefeated but their fans are too much like a cult. They scare me.

5) Tech is on my permanent disqualified list for the unpardonable sin of hiring Bobby Knight to do anything.

6) Is a Tebow something you plug in to your TV?

7) One could argue that since there is no playoff there really is no National Champion. Since no one else is willing to do it we may as weoll let Texas be Number 1!

I'm laughing at Dave Miller's comment. Texas beat OU "handily," then says that Texas "whipped" OU on the field. Then he says that OU "played well" on Saturday, against Texas Tech. I'm laughing because Dave calls a ten point spread winning handily, and a whipping on the field, but hanging 65 points on Texas Tech (who beat Texas) was just "playing well."You're funny, Dave.

Both UT and TTU would lose at Norman; both UT and OU would lose at Lubbock; both OU and TTU would lose at Austin. The only competition faced so far by any of the three is any of the three, and each still is 10-1.

It seems everyone is assuming Missouri will lose in the Big 12 championship game. While the MU quarterback seems to have lost his focus, don't count the Tigers out. I'm counting on them to spoil it for whoever is coming from the Big 12 South - but especially if it is an Oklahoma team.

As a TTU grad. and a fan of Texas high school football, I am great with cheering for all our Texas boys no matter what Univ they choose; Baylor, A&M, UT, TTU, or the Univ of Texas at Norman, I cheer them all. :)